At some point in our lives, we have to start somewhere. Many people looking to eventually buy a piece of real estate initially start by renting an apartment or a home. We know that there comes a time when that begins to get a little old. Here are ten clues that it may be time for you to start thinking about buying a home in the near future.

• 10 - You're ready to stop paying your landlord's mortgage payment, and start building wealth of your own. You've gotten in more than one verbal argument with your apartment manager or landlord.
• 9 - You could use the property tax and mortgage interest deductions. Last years tax refund just wasn't enough to get that Christmas gift you didn't get last year.
• 8 - You want a vested interest in your community. Becoming part of a homeowners association is something that interests you and you plan to attend meetings.
• 7 - It?s mid-August and you can no longer tolerate waiting for your landlord to send someone to fix your air conditioner.
• 6 - You are working at a job where you won?t leave the country every other year.
• 5 - You want to provide your family with a sense of stability and plant roots.
• 4 - There are more than twice as many people as bedrooms in your current residence.
• 3 - You want to paint the walls of your bedroom any color you please.
• 2 - You are tired of saving all your quarters for the laundromat.
• 1 - When you say you are "going home," you want to really mean it!

Though many of the above tips are said with tongue in cheek, but some of them may be true for your particular situation. If so, we are always here to help. Did you know that when buying a home, buyers do not pay a dime to their real estate representative? No wonder why a majority of buyers that buy homes are real estate agent represented.